Washington & Rutgers Open Big Ten Play at Nebraska Tomorrow

September 22, 2017

Washington

Tomorrow afternoon the Rutgers University football team (1-2) opens its Big Ten schedule in Lincoln vs. the storied Nebraska Cornhuskers who are hoping to put a tumultuous week behind them. Last Saturday the Huskers fell to 1-2 after a humbling home loss to Northern Illinois, prompting the firing of Athletic Director Shawn Eichorst. Likewise, Rutgers comes into the game at 1-2 and saddled with their own lackluster loss. Two weeks ago the Scarlet Knights became the first Power Five conference victim of Eastern Michigan in a baffling loss in Piscataway. They are looking to build on last week’s 65-0 drubbing of Morgan State in which Washington scored his first touchdown of the season.

Rutgers tight end Jerome Washington’s 12 catches in three games are two more than the Scarlet Knights’ top receiver at his position in 2016 had in 12 games. The 6-foot-4, 258-pounder transferred from Miami.

“He’s a great combination of a receiver and a run blocker,” [Rutgers head coach Chris] Ash said. “He can play on the line. He can flex out. He can do a lot of things for us. We really were hoping that we were going to get this type of player, so it’s nice to see that it’s actually turned out that way.”

Another Miami transfer, tight end Jerome Washington, has 12 catches for 108 yards and a touchdown.

“They have a really talented tight end,” [Nebraska defensive coordinator Bob] Diaco said. “He is probably one of if not the best tight ends we’ve played up to this time in terms of being able to do all the jobs. He blocks at the point of attack. He’s a threat in the passing game, athletic, physical.”